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Experts predict a record-breaking revenue for this year’s gambling market in Canada

Published

2 months ago

July 16, 2024

The Canadian gambling market was once seen as something of a quiet backwater. A look across the southern border to the US would show the likes of Las Vegas and Atlantic City continually drawing people in from all over the world. How could Canada, with its cold weather and lower urban density, ever hope to compete with these iconic destinations? Well, it already is, and the experts tell us that things are trending in one direction from here on in.

How is the Canadian gambling market performing?

A total of $63 billion was wagered in the last 12 months alone, with a staggering $14.2 billion in gaming revenue generated as a result. This turns the gambling industry in Canada into a legitimate 11-figure business with the financial reserves to drive new growth and innovation. This is exactly what you want to hear when you’re looking to identify the key growth industries that will fuel the Canadian economy in the coming years.

A key point here is that almost half (45%) of the total gaming revenue came from online gambling players. This is a massive shift compared to just a decade earlier, when online gambling was very much in its infancy and seen as merely a distraction. In 2024, anyone, anywhere, can log on and place a wager or play a game in the comfort of their own home. This opens up not just new ways to connect with loyal punters but also the possibility to massively increase the size of the total audience.

Bright colours, engaging games, interesting themes, lightning deals and free offers are all helping drive the growth of the online portion of the market. The fact that virtually every Canadian has a phone by their side every waking hour means that reaching out to them has become a little less challenging. Today, gaming companies can literally put their latest offer of free spins straight into the palm of the hand of anyone they want to. In order to capture data and achieve a wide range of insights, they can also use in-built analytics, such as:

How long a certain player waits between email advertisements before trying out a new game for the first time.
Whether or not free spins actually convince a specific demographic or style of player to try out a new game.
How discount codes can be used to persuade dormant players to start interacting with the system again.
What is the influence of individual playing style on the amount of money that is wagered, and which touchpoints can be leveraged to increase the size of the wagers.

This granular level of detail is something that is a significant driver of the impressive expansion of the Canadian gambling industry in 2024.

What else is driving the boom in Canadian gambling?

Dive deeper into the details and you’ll start to see that a key demographic shift is currently occurring. Punters and players in middle age remember a time before smartphones, but today’s young adults and college students do not. We are now experiencing the first wave of smartphone-enabled youngsters entering the world of work and generating their own financial income. They are tech-savvy and highly mobile in terms of the platforms they use, and have a default preference for online as opposed to in-person interaction in many cases.

This shift extends to everything from booking grocery home deliveries online to using a faceless Uber app or WhatsApp message instead of picking up the phone and dialling. For virtually all involved, this is not even so much a conscious choice as it is one that has been thrust upon them. If you grow up in a world in which everyone around you is connected online and glued to a screen, you will accept this as the status quo and take it up as well.

Canadian online gambling has captured the imagination of this new generation with quick, highly playable games that provide an instant dopamine hit. The key is to balance this dopamine hit with playability, and that’s something that is achieved with a highly gamified approach to gambling. The idea is that the more a player enjoys the game itself, as opposed to simply enjoying gambling, the longer they will play and the more they will wager.

Is the Canadian gambling industry set to continue growing?

All signs from the experts indicate that this is very much the case, with positive noises being unanimous across the board. We spoke to Adam Nadeau, site founder and finance expert at PlayCasinos, who had the following to say: “The growth of the industry can only be a good thing for Canada as a whole. More turnover means higher amounts of tax paid, which funds more public services, which then makes everyone’s lives that little bit better.

“The economics make sense from a purely business standpoint. The growth is not only rapid but also sustainable. This second point is the key here – we need an industry that is on a sound financial footing, not one that is achieving rapid growth by being part of a bubble.

“The more I look at the demographic shift that is occurring within Canada right now – I’m talking about the changing face of consumer behaviour, really – the more encouraging the signs are. Mobile interactions are here to stay for a generation at least and are showing no signs of being pushed to the margins by new tech like AR, for example. In my opinion, as someone who has been researching this field for more than a decade, the future could not be brighter for the Canadian gambling industry. It has the cash reserves to fund innovation and development that will attract new audiences and demographics.”

Will online gambling continue to attract a new audience and demographic?

The era of mobile social media means that something can be uploaded on a Monday morning and become a global viral sensation by Friday afternoon. The need to see what the crowd is talking about and take a closer look for yourself has never been greater, and this plays into the hands of the Canadian gambling industry.

If you then add in the fact that this is a new generation of people who simply do not know what it means to be bored, you seemingly have the antidote to all their issues. Offering engaging, quick and viral games that can be played during an idle couple of minutes in a bar, restaurant or when waiting in line at the store is pivotal here. Experts such as Adam Nadeau tell us that this trend is not just going to continue but will accelerate at an even faster rate.

The rapid growth of Canadian sports streaming means that in 2024, nearly one in three adults will have access to three or more live sports streaming platforms. Sports leagues now regularly promote sports gambling leagues like DraftKings, not just on their advertising banners around the sidelines but during the live broadcasts themselves.

The ability to connect live sporting events with live sports betting odds is a powerful tool for the industry. Sports leagues like the UFC are increasingly displaying tweets from athletes and celebrities in real time as part of their live programming. Their strategy here seems to be to take online gambling away from being a solo endeavour and turn it into much more of a social activity. This has the dual benefit of showing a broader audience that gambling is a responsible and socially acceptable activity and also one that can enhance the live sporting experience.

By pairing online gambling with the rise of live sports streaming – something that will certainly grow now Netflix has entered the market – gambling companies are making a clear strategic play. The continued integration of streaming and gambling will expose the industry to wider markets and provide gambling experiences that feel connected to the real world.

Final thoughts

Canadian gambling may seem like something of a surprising growth industry in 2024, but all the signs are that it is set to continue growing in 2025. This is good news for consumers, who will get even more choice, as well as for those who are currently working in the industry.

A boom that rises from a solid, robust foundation is also a great way for innovation to continue to drive things forward. Now that mobile tech and fast Wi-Fi are at a point where anyone in the country can connect and play, we can also expect to see new niches, genres and side industries opening up. The future will undoubtedly bring new opportunities and choices for the Canadian gambling industry.

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RCMP arrest second suspect in deadly shooting east of Calgary

Published

9 mins ago

September 13, 2024

Anne Joseph

EDMONTON – RCMP say a second suspect has been arrested in the killing of an Alberta county worker.

Mounties say 28-year-old Elijah Strawberry was taken into custody Friday at a house on O’Chiese First Nation.

Colin Hough, a worker with Rocky View County, was shot and killed while on the job on a rural road east of Calgary on Aug. 6.

Another man who worked for Fortis Alberta was shot and wounded, and RCMP said the suspects fled in a Rocky View County work truck.

Police later arrested Arthur Wayne Penner, 35, and charged him with first-degree murder and attempted murder, and a warrant was issued for Strawberry’s arrest.

RCMP also said there was a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of Strawberry, describing him as armed and dangerous.

Chief Supt. Roberta McKale, told a news conference in Edmonton that officers had received tips and information over the last few weeks.

“I don’t know of many members that when were stopped, fuelling up our vehicles, we weren’t keeping an eye out, looking for him,” she said.

But officers had been investigating other cases when they found Strawberry.

“Our investigators were in O’Chiese First Nation at a residence on another matter and the major crimes unit was there working another file and ended up locating him hiding in the residence,” McKale said.

While an investigation is still underway, RCMP say they’re confident both suspects in the case are in police custody.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.

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Kirk’s walk-off single in 11th inning lifts Blue Jays past Cardinals 4-3

Published

1 hour ago

September 13, 2024

Anne Joseph

TORONTO – Alejandro Kirk’s long single with the bases loaded provided the Toronto Blue Jays with a walk-off 4-3 win in the 11th inning of their series opener against the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday.

With the Cardinals outfield in, Kirk drove a shot off the base of the left-field wall to give the Blue Jays (70-78) their fourth win in 11 outings and halt the Cardinals’ (74-73) two-game win streak before 30,380 at Rogers Centre.

Kirk enjoyed a two-hit, two-RBI outing.

Erik Swanson (2-2) pitched a perfect 11th inning for the win, while Cardinals reliever Ryan Fernandez (1-5) took the loss.

Blue Jays starter Kevin Gausman enjoyed a seven-inning, 104-pitch outing. He surrendered his two runs on nine hits and two walks and fanned only two Cardinals.

He gave way to reliever Genesis Cabrera, who gave up a one-out homer to Thomas Saggese, his first in 2024, that tied the game in the eighth.

The Cardinals started swiftly with four straight singles to open the game. But they exited the first inning with only two runs on an RBI single to centre from Nolan Arendao and a fielder’s choice from Saggese.

Gausman required 28 pitches to escape the first inning but settled down to allow his teammates to snatch the lead in the fourth.

He also deftly pitched out of threats from the visitors in the fifth, sixth and seventh thanks to some solid defence, including Will Wagner’s diving stop, which led to a double play to end the fifth inning.

George Springer led off with a walk and stole second base. He advanced to third on Nathan Lukes’s single and scored when Vladimir Guerrero Jr. knocked in his 95th run with a double off the left-field wall.

Lukes scored on a sacrifice fly to left field from Spencer Horwitz. Guerrero touched home on Kirk’s two-out single to right.

In the ninth, Guerrero made a critical diving catch on an Arenado grounder to throw out the Cardinals’ infielder, with reliever Tommy Nance covering first. The defensive gem ended the inning with a runner on second base.

St. Louis starter Erick Fedde faced the minimum night batters in the first three innings thanks to a pair of double plays. He lasted five innings, giving up three runs on six hits and a walk with three strikeouts.

ON DECK

Toronto ace Jose Berrios (15-9) will start the second of the three-game series on Saturday. He has a six-game win streak.

The Cardinals will counter with righty Kyle Gibson (8-6).

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.

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Stampeders return to Maier at QB eyeing chance to get on track against Alouettes

Published

2 hours ago

September 13, 2024

Anne Joseph

CALGARY – Mired in their first four-game losing skid in 20 years, the Calgary Stampeders are going back to Jake Maier at quarterback on Saturday after he was benched for a game.

It won’t be an easy assignment.

Visiting McMahon Stadium are the Eastern Conference-leading Montreal Alouettes (10-2) who own the CFL’s best record. The Stampeders (4-8) have fallen to last in the Western Conference.

“Six games is plenty of time, but also it is just six games,” said Maier. “We’ve got to be able to get on the right track.”

Calgary is in danger of missing the playoffs for the first time since 2004.

“I do still believe in this team,” said Stampeders’ head coach and general manager Dave Dickenson. “I want to see improvement, though. I want to see guys on a weekly basis elevating their game, and we haven’t been doing that.”

Maier is one of the guys under the microscope. Two weeks ago, the second-year starter threw four interceptions in a 35-20 home loss to the Edmonton Elks.

After his replacement, rookie Logan Bonner, threw five picks in last week’s 37-16 loss to the Elks in Edmonton, the football is back in Maier’s hands.

“Any time you fail or something doesn’t go your way in life, does it stink in the moment? Yeah. But then the days go on and you learn things about yourself and you learn how to prepare a little bit better,” said Maier. “It makes you mentally tougher.”

Dickenson wants to see his quarterback making better decisions with the football.

“Things are going to happen, interceptions will happen, but try to take calculated risks, rather than just putting the ball up there and hoping that we catch it,” said Dickenson.

A former quarterback himself, he knows the importance of that vital position.

“You cannot win without good quarterback play,” Dickenson said. “You’ve got to be able to make some plays — off-schedule plays, move-around plays, plays that break down, plays that aren’t designed perfectly, but somehow you found the right guy, and then those big throws where you’re taking that hit.”

But it’s going to take a team effort, and that includes the club’s receiving corp.

“We always have to band together because we need everything to go right for our receivers to get the ball,” said Nik Lewis, the Stampeders’ receivers coach. “The running back has to pick up the blitz, the o-line has to block, the quarterback has to make the right reads, and then give us a catchable ball.”

Lewis brings a unique perspective to this season’s frustrations as he was a 22-year-old rookie in Calgary in 2004 when the Stamps went 4-14 under coach Matt Dunigan. They turned it around the next season and haven’t missed the playoffs since.”

“Thinking back and just looking at it, there’s just got to be an ultimate belief that you can get it done. Look at Montreal, they were 6-7 last year and they’ve gone 18-2 since then,” said Lewis.

Montreal is also looking to rebound from a 37-23 loss to the B.C. Lions last week. But for head coach Jason Maas, he says his team’s mindset doesn’t change, regardless of what happened the previous week.

“Last year when we went through a four-game losing streak, you couldn’t tell if we were on a four-game winning streak or a four-game losing streak by the way the guys were in the building, the way we prepared, the type of work ethic we have,” said Maas. “All our standards are set, so that’s all we focus on.”

While they may have already clinched a playoff spot, Alouettes’ quarterback Cody Fajardo says this closing stretch remains critical because they want to finish the season strong, just like last year when they won their final five regular-season games before ultimately winning the Grey Cup.

“It doesn’t matter about what you do at the beginning of the year,” said Fajardo. “All that matters is how you end the year and how well you’re playing going into the playoffs so that’s what these games are about.”

The Alouettes’ are kicking off a three-game road stretch, one Fajardo looks forward to.

“You understand what kind of team you have when you play on the road because it’s us versus the world mentality and you can feel everybody against you,” said Fajardo. “Plus, I always tend to find more joy in silencing thousands of people than bringing thousands of people to their feet.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.

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